


in the cold cold night

by katwow



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, Lesbian Azula (Avatar), Lesbian Katara (Avatar), doctor!katara, lesbian vampire rights, vampire!Azula
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-24
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-15 01:03:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29676036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katwow/pseuds/katwow
Summary: ‘You really don't remember?’ Azula asks, turning to glance at Katara while she shakes her head. ‘I’m sure you remember us staying out past last call yesterday. It was - a reunion, of sorts. In fact,’ Azula chuckles, ‘you were the one insisting we go out again tonight - something about my mental health.’ She leans back in her seat and looks Katara over lazily. It causes her gut to clench, but not unpleasantly. ‘I always knew you’d make a great doctor.’
Relationships: Azula/Katara (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 53





	in the cold cold night

**Author's Note:**

> cw : blood typical to a story about vampires but not gorey in any way. just talking about bloodbags and sucking blood really.

Katara’s running around the hospital frantically, passing out charts and ordering labs like every other intern grunt. She’s exhausted, which is no different than usual, but this time she doesn’t have the excuse of studying all night. She barely made it through rounds this morning, and she could tell her supervisor was onto her when she didn’t act like a complete know it all with each and every case. 

The one time she decides to catch up with her friends, it ends with her still at the bar long after the last call with her rival-turned-sort-of-friend-by-proxy. She and Azula had been staunch enemies throughout university, but the resentment had faded once she left for med school and Azula stayed to go into some dazzling legal career.

Katara told herself she wouldn’t stay too long, just share one round of drinks and then head home. Her work was absolutely grueling, she couldn’t afford to let loose on a Thursday.

Surprisingly, she and Azula had completely hit it off, and Katara found herself absorbed by those golden eyes long after her friends had left. There was something different about her, too. Azula had always been dazzlingly confident, haughty and demanding likely from birth, but last night she seemed to glow in a way that she hadn’t back in university.

Katara had tried to pull Zuko aside and ask about it, but he was far too attached to Sokka for her to unearth anything coherent. So, there she sat, trading stories with Azula for a large part of the night. 

Looking back on it now, she cringed at the memory of her drunken bravado, arms laid across Azula’s shoulders as she got far too close to Azula’s mouth.

Katara stopped abruptly in the corridor, causing a gurney to nudge her in the back of the leg. Apologising, she rushed into an empty bathroom and collapsed, chest heaving into a chair. She caught sight of herself in the mirror and noted the deep bruise that had bloomed on her collar, just barely concealed by the many layers of foundation she had applied that morning.

She was struck by the memory of Azula’s elongated incisors glinting in the low light of the bar. Katara had always loved a bit of danger, but surely she hadn’t-

Of course not. It was just a trick of the light, a product of her inebriation and puzzling newfound attraction to the woman. Katara composed herself, pushing all thoughts of Azula, fanged or not, out of her mind.

Still, as she meets patients and trails after her superiors she can’t stop thinking about last night. There’s something there at the edges of her memory that she can’t quite reach. Each time she focuses on it, the thought disappears. She was to devote more time than usual to staying focused, trying and failing to concentrate on the thousand-and-one things she was expected to do as an intern.

By the end of the day she’s dead on her feet, starving despite the early lunch she’d taken. She shuffles into the hospital lobby, waving goodbye to a few of her colleagues. 

Katara stops dead in the hallway at the sight of a familiar red-clad figure perched uncomfortably in one of the tiny chairs. She tries to rush out the door but Azula catches her eye, flashing her a self-satisfied smirk.

‘Nice of you to show up.’ Azula greets, standing and physically blocking Katara’s path. ‘You told me you would finish 20 minutes ago.’

Katara thinks she hears a note of insecurity in Azula’s voice but it’s easily overwhelmed by her own confusion.

‘I really don’t understand why you’re here, Azula.’ Katara’s shaking her head, blinking through the fog of exhaustion that was surely affecting her.

‘Dinner, of course. Come on, we’ll miss our booking.’ Azula offers her an arm as if it’s a demand, not a suggestion.

Katara follows her into the carpark where Azula pulls open the door to a sleek black car. She sits in the leather seat, stuffing her bag down by her feet while Azula starts the car.

‘Seatbelt.’ Azula points out, the simple word dislodging Katara from her stupor.

‘When exactly did we agree to go out?’ Katara asks as she settles into the seat. She’s rapidly descending into a panic about her fuzzy memories from last night, still unable to retrieve them.

Azula’s quiet for a long moment. Katara turns to watch her drive. She’s quite pretty like this, face bathed in the light from passing streetlights. She’s so horribly serious though, lips pursed and head held high even in the privacy of her own car. 

‘You really don't remember?’ Azula asks, turning to glance at Katara while she shakes her head. ‘I’m sure you remember us staying out past last call yesterday. It was - a reunion, of sorts. In fact,’ Azula chuckles, ‘you were the one insisting we go out again tonight - something about my mental health.’ She leans back in her seat and looks Katara over lazily. It causes her gut to clench, but not unpleasantly. ‘I always knew you’d make a great doctor.’

The compliment should have been sarcastic and biting - this is Azula she’s talking to - but instead a warm blush rose on Katara’s cheek. This isn’t the girl she used to fight with every single debate meet. Something has changed Azula, and Katara wants to know what.

Eventually they arrive at what Katara assumes is their destination, Azula handing her keys over to a valet. Katara gapes at the entrance, full as it is with women in elegant gowns and men in suits.

‘Why didn’t you tell me we were going somewhere so- so fancy!’ Katara hisses at Azula’s side. She's mortified, standing in her sweatpants and a sheen of sweat and other hospital grime. 

Azula takes a long look over Katara’s body, lingering on her neck. She blushes furiously, somehow surpassing discomfort and instead feeling heat gather low in her gut. 

‘I don’t think you need to worry about appearances, Water Tribe.’ Azula pries her eyes away from Katara to talk to the hostess, who quickly guides them to a quiet table at the back of the restaurant.

Katara is completely overwhelmed by the menu and the night’s progression in general. She asks Azula to order for her, sitting back and rubbing her eyes.

‘As you wish.’ Azula replies. While years ago the idea of having an ounce of control over Katara would have satisfied the woman, today she seemed subdued in reflection of Katara’s own mood. She spoke kindly to the waitress, not a sneer in sight, another anomaly.

As soon as the waitress returned with a bottle of wine, Katara took a deep draw from the glass in front of her. She was sure it was a lovely blend but barely tasted it as she tried to avoid the feeling of all the eyes on her.

Azula twiddled her thumbs, looking awkward for once as she watched Katara drink. She didn’t touch her own glass, and her eyes lingered uncomfortably on Katara’s neck.

Against her better judgement, Katara asked a question. ‘Why aren’t you drinking any? It’s nice I’m sure.’

Wincing, Azula brought the glass to her mouth. Something sparked in Katara’s memory at the sight of her open mouth, and she was entranced by the glint in the other woman’s eye. Suddenly, she’s struck by the memory of Azula face at her neck, and she swears she can see fangs at the edge of her lip.

She drops her glass, wine spilling everywhere. Her pants are stained a deep red, Azula looking at her with anxiety in her eyes. 

‘I- You-’ Katara starts, unable to voice her thoughts. Azula just stares back, unmoving but for the slightly nauseous look on her face.

‘You better have a good explanation for this!’ Katara whispers angrily, aware of the eyes on her once again. A waitress starts mopping up the wine, handing Katara a cloth napkin for her lap. She doesn’t look Katara in the eye but instead her eyes catch on the bruise at Katara’s throat.

Azula eyes the waitress warily until she walks away from the table, turning back to Katara. 

‘I was hoping we’d at least get to the entree before we had to start talking about this, but here goes.’ Azula takes a deep breath, uncharacteristically nervous. The thought of Azula, razor sharp as she was, acting out of character shook Katara. ‘We both know that I really embarrassed myself last night, and I’m sorry. I was acting out of desperation and it wasn’t fair to ask that of you. I understand if you’d prefer we didn’t speak anymore, but I wanted to at least buy you dinner as a thankyou.’

Katara was truly confused by Azula’s words. Here she was, looking frighteningly earnest with her blood red lips and widows peak, talking so unabashedly about what Katara had thought was a hook-up.

She hesitated, considering her words carefully. ‘I wouldn’t say you embarrassed yourself… I guess I just didn’t expect it coming from you.’ Katara blushed beet red at the admission, staring down at the tablecloth.

‘No, really. I’m sorry I made you uncomfortable.’ Azula stared straight down at the table in front of her. The silence stretched taut between them before their food arrived.

Katara unabashedly dug in, hoping to fill the awkward silence with her food. She was starving after the long day and practically inhaled the small serving. She looked up to see Azula looking at her fondly and blushed again.

‘That was… good, I think.’ Katara said awkwardly to fill the silence.

‘I’m surprised you managed to taste it all.’ Azula replied, eyes once again warm with mirth. They picked up a somewhat normal conversation after that, sharing stories from their workplaces. Katara found that Azula was just as impassioned as she was at university, but now she used that energy to help people who were struggling. Katara was in awe of her new friend, and they passed the time with ease.

She couldn’t help but notice, however, that each time a course was served Azula would hesitate for a while before taking a single reluctant bite and pushing the plate away. Deciding to keep the peace, Katara held herself back from commenting and instead laughed quietly at Azula’s dry sense of humour.

‘The next time I visit Zuko’s apartment unannounced I’ll be sure to knock,’ Katara laughs, following Azula out the door. There had been only a few awkward moments after her initial freak out, and she was glad to be reuniting with Azula again. It helped that Azula insisted on paying for dinner as an apology, which left Katara blushing yet again.

‘These days it seems like everyone’s slowly pairing off. It’s slightly incestuous.’ Azula shudders as they wait for the car.

‘Yeah, I feel like I’m the only one left sometimes.’ Katara shrugs, stuffing her hands into her pockets. ‘What happened to Mai and Ty Lee? Are you still in touch with them?’

‘They got together a few years ago and are still going strong, somehow. It’s sweet, they’re complete opposites but Mai is absolutely smitten with Ty Lee.’ Azula smiles and Katara mirrors it, taking in Azula’s moon-stricken face.

She really was quite beautiful, pale skin glowing in the night. The sharp lines of her face were softened in the night, and she had foregone her trademark eyeliner for a softer look. Her lipstick had come off while eating, leaving her devoid of her usually intense makeup. Katara found she really liked it.

Katara pondered this as they got in the car and drove to her apartment while the radio played softly. She tried to direct Azula, but she seemed to know where she was going. It was nice to have someone else to talk to about her brother, particularly his (now reciprocated) infatuation with Zuko, and refreshing to talk to someone who knew her so deeply for so long, even if they were rivals at the time.

She decided to bite the bullet, and was psyching herself up to say something to Azula when they parted for the night. 

‘Thanks for tonight, Katara.’ Azula smiled, disgustingly earnest in a way that made Katara’s stomach warm.

‘No, thank you for taking me out. I couldn’t have afforded something like that on my measly intern wages.’ Katara laughs warmly. A beat passes in the dim glow of the car lights, Azula’s sharp jaw accentuated by the shadows of the night. If she wants to say anything, now’s the time. ‘About last night…’ Katara began nervously.

‘Like I said, don’t worry about it.’ Azula said.

‘No, Azula. What I meant was, I didn’t mind it so much.’ Katara fiddled with the strap of her bag. ‘I liked it, actually.’ She huffed. ‘And if you wanted to do it again…’

Azula’s face lit up with a soft grin. ‘You’re first on my list, Water Tribe.’

* * *

Katara has just finished transcribing her case notes from the day, leaning back from the computer and perching her reading glasses atop her head, when Azula messages her.

5.47pm  
Are you busy tonight?

She smiles, having expected more witty banter from the woman. They had been texting infrequently, ranting about the stupidity of their coworkers and placing bets on their brother’s relationship. She hadn’t completely expected Azula to take her up on her offer, but is excited nonetheless.

5.50pm  
Apart from studying, no  
I finish at 7

5.51pm  
I’ll make you dinner  
Meet you in the hospital reception

Katara breezes through her final check ups of the day, practically bouncing through the halls. Her fellow interns tease her relentlessly about it, but before long she’s getting into the elevator with her bag over her shoulder.

She spots Azula easily, dressed in a decidedly more casual outfit compared to last time. Katara feels better about her lackluster plainclothes as she takes in Azula’s jeans and sneakers.

‘Well, that bruise has certainly healed up nicely.’ Azula smirks, any hint of uncertainty gone. Katara feels her face heat as her suspicions are confirmed.

‘No thanks to you, you vampire!’ Katara laughs as they walk out to the carpark. Azula falters for a moment but giggles along with her.

They spend the ride over to Azula’s house like that, laughing and joking together. Katara teases Azula as they move closer and closer to the rich side of town (‘It’s like there are rings in this city. The richest people live in the centre and poverty travels outwards from there.’ Katara says darkly). After some cajoling, Azula unleashes her old pick-up lines, ones Katara remembers making fun of back in university. 

Azula’s apartment is high up in a skyscraper with massive windows looking down upon all the city lights. Katara pokes through her collections of vinyl records, books with pretty covers and, surprisingly, plants as Azula goes about heating up their dinner.

‘What’s the story behind this?’ Katara asks, picking up a familiar object from one of the shelves. A wolf’s tooth, something she hasn’t seen since she left her hometown for university all those years ago.

‘Behind what?’ Azula calls from the kitchen, evidently busy chopping and frying and a hundred other things Katara avoids at all costs. She walks across the massive living space brandishing the tooth. ‘Oh, that was a gift.’ She pushes her bangs out of her face with her wrist, hands covered in seafood juice. ‘My… sponsor, I suppose, he gave it to me.’

Katara suspected that was all she’d get out of Azula. ‘It reminds me of home. Up north, we used to go hunting with our tribe from time to time. Sokka loved it, wanted to prove himself a man, but I avoided it whenever possible. Those hunts were actually the reason I wanted to become a doctor - I spent so much time with the healers trying to avoid my dad that I learnt a lot about medicine.’ Katara looked up from the tooth to find Azula smiling at her. She took a big gulp of wine to quiet the beating of her heart.

By the time they finished dinner - a green curry with prawns and seafood - Katara’s limbs were heavy with exhaustion. They had moved to the couch and Azula was scrolling through the streaming services aimlessly.

Katara stretched her arms, catlike and soft. She didn’t miss the way Azula’s gaze flickered to the sliver of skin visible as her shirt rose minutely. ‘I don’t care what we watch.’ Katara declared, trying to grab the remote from Azula lazily.

‘That doesn’t help me at all. I swear this thing has so many titles on it but I can never find anything good.’ Azula was now glaring at the screen, scrolling so fast that Katara could hardly read the titles.

‘We don’t even have to watch anything.’ Katara said, pushing through her nervousness and going instead for bravado. ‘I’m more than happy to pick up where we left off at that bar.’

Azula turned to her, eyes wide with shock. Katara just smirked back, glad to finally have some measure of power over the other woman. She sat up straighter, looming over Azula who could only watch as she moved.

‘Promise me that you’re sure about this.’ Azula said solemnly, looking up into Katara’s eyes. Katara nodded, smile dropping as she tried to anticipate Azula’s next move.

Azula leaned into Katara’s neck as she gasped, a sharp pain coming and receding as Azula made contact with her neck. Azula stayed still for a long moment, her mouth sucking gently. Katara felt her own heartbeat double in pace as she gasped at each shift of Azula’s jaw, the warmth in her gut threatening to overflow.

Her eyes slowly closed as she leaned back on the couch, ignoring the call from the back of her mind that told her this wasn’t what she expected at all. She tilted her head back to give Azula more access, waves of warmth extending through her body. Her brain is floating high above the scene and what could be hours pass quickly with Azula on top of her.

Eventually, Azula pulls back, causing Katara to let out a whine as she returns back to her body. She shyly opens her eyes, sitting up straight again and looking at Azula.

‘What’s that?’ Katara asks, her blood (or what’s left of it) running cold as she sees a dark spot on Azula’s lip.

Azula opens her mouth to explain, exposing her elongated incisors. ‘What are those?’ Katara all but shrieks, trying to remain calm despite her heart beating faster for a completely different reason.

‘I thought you knew!’ Azula shrieks back, eyes wide with shock. ‘The other day, at the restaurant - when you offered to do it again, I thought you knew!’

‘Knew what? That you’re a- a-’

‘A vampire, yes, exactly, why else would you have a bruised neck after spending the night with me?’ Azula is yelling back, a flush rising on her cheeks.

‘You know exactly why! I thought that was what this was! I thought we were finally banging it out after all that tension in university, not that you were- are- you’re drinking my blood!’ Katara figures in a world where there are literal vampires who are literally sucking her blood, what she’s saying isn’t too crazy of a proposition.

‘Oh no. This is bad. This is so so bad.’ Azula looks down now, shaking her head slightly. ‘Katara, I’m so sorry, I didn’t realise- I thought that when you said you didn’t mind you meant this, and now I’ve gone and drank your blood.’ Azula is pacing now, walking across the room. Katara’s mind is reeling as she tries to reconcile all this new stimuli.

‘Oh God Azula, I could literally just bring you blood from the hospital, you don’t need to wine and dine me.’ Katara sighs.

‘Don’t get the wrong idea, I’m not so shallow as to coerce you into becoming my bloodbank by doing favors and spending money. I’ve been enjoying the company too.’ Azula reassured her, still pacing nervously. ‘I mean, that is if you want to be wined and dined and not just… whatever you thought we were doing.’

‘I think ‘bootycall’ is the best way to describe it.’ Katara lets out an incredulous laugh as she leans back again. ‘Lie to me, tell me the bruise will be gone by tomorrow.’

Azula eyes her suspiciously for a moment. ‘Why don’t we watch that new movie about the Kyoshi warriors, I’ve heard it’s amazing.’

They settle into the couch, Katara’s arm behind Azula’s head, and watch the documentary.

* * *

‘What’s it like?’ Katara asks out of the blue one day. They'd shared quite a few meals over the past month, and on a few memorable occasions a bed.

‘What’s what like?’ Azula replies absentmindedly while stirring a pot.

‘You know…’ Katara waits for Azula to look at her. She makes two little ‘fangs’ out of her pointers and gestures to her neck.

‘Katara, you’re a doctor now. Use your words.’ Azula turns back to the stove.

‘When you bite someone, what does it feel like for them?’

‘Good, I suppose. I was bitten, obviously, but I don’t really remember the experience.’ She replies darkly.

‘Me neither.’ 

There’s a pause for a moment, and Katara fiddles with the glass in front of her.

‘It’s meant to feel euphoric, if done properly with two people who trust each other.’ Azula finally adds, breaking the tension that had settled over the room.

‘Hmm.’ Katara hums, deep in thought. ‘How would you feel about using me as a blood bag, rather than me smuggling out stale old stuff from the hospital.’ Katara tries for nonchalance, injecting an airy casual tone into her voice. ‘You know, since we’re girlfriends now.’

Azula doesn’t respond for a long moment, back still turned to Katara. She quickly begins to panic.

‘Unless you don’t want to, of course. I mean, who said we were girlfriends anyways, wasn’t me, I’m totally fine with keeping things casual between us. That’s the kind of girl I am, anyways, the casual type, no labels necessary-‘

‘Katara!’ Azula interrupts, shoulders shaking with what she now recognises as laughter. ‘Of all the ways to ask me to be your girlfriend, you had to suggest becoming my personal blood bag?’ She rounds the counter, coming to stand beside Katara. ‘I’ve been meaning to ask you the same thing. I figured if I cooked you enough dinners I can hardly eat, you’d catch on eventually.’

‘So just to confirm-‘

‘Yes, we’re girlfriends, we’re exclusive, we’re together. This blood bag thing, though, you need to come up with something sexier.’ Azula saunters over to the stove again, Katara scrambling to follow.

‘I didn’t think leading with ‘bite my neck’ would lead to anything constructive, given our history.’ Katara replied. She wrapped her arms around Azula’s waist, breathing in her hair. ‘Besides, I forgot to grab any blood tonight so without me you’re in the doghouse.’ 

‘Is that so?’ Azula murmurs, turning in Katara’s arms to kiss her. ‘Well, you’ll have to meet me in the bedroom after dinner.’ She winks, Katara’s cheeks flushing as Azula returns her attention to the food.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> ah i had so much fun writing this, all my lesbian vampire dreams are coming true! title is from the white stripes song, me and my dad always thought it was about vampires
> 
> i wrote this for azutara week on twitter! find me there @kyoshixrangi
> 
> comments and kudos are what keeps me going!


End file.
